Oil spill in Belfast harbor likely a gallon of diesel, according to Coast Guard

BELFAST, Maine — An oil slick seen on Belfast Harbor this weekend and estimated to be about the size of a football field did not require environmental mitigation, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary noticed the sheen on the water of the inner harbor about noon on Sunday, and that person notified authorities, Coast Guard Spokesman Adam Stanton said Wednesday. Officials with the Belfast Fire Department determined that it might have been diesel fuel, and a Coast Guard marine safety technician estimated that the slick was caused by a spill of about a gallon of fuel.

“When it spreads out that much, it looks much larger than it is,” Stanton said.

The marine safety technician determined that the fuel would burn off in the sun and that there was no need to get booms or do other special clean-up efforts.